diff --git a/lib/rdoc.rb b/lib/rdoc.rb
index b42059c712..16530bd61d 100644
--- a/lib/rdoc.rb
+++ b/lib/rdoc.rb
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ def self.home
 
   autoload :RDoc,           "#{__dir__}/rdoc/rdoc"
 
+  autoload :Checker,        "#{__dir__}/rdoc/checker"
   autoload :CrossReference, "#{__dir__}/rdoc/cross_reference"
   autoload :ERBIO,          "#{__dir__}/rdoc/erbio"
   autoload :ERBPartial,     "#{__dir__}/rdoc/erb_partial"
diff --git a/lib/rdoc/checker.rb b/lib/rdoc/checker.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f00c941ddc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rdoc/checker.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+##
+# RDoc::Checker collects documentation quality check warnings during RDoc
+# execution. Warnings are reported at the end and cause a non-zero exit status.
+#
+# Example usage:
+#   RDoc::Checker.add("Missing reference", file: "lib/foo.rb", line: 42)
+#
+# At the end of rdoc execution, if any warnings were added, they will be
+# printed and the process will exit with status 1.
+
+class RDoc::Checker
+
+  ##
+  # Represents a single check warning with optional file and line information.
+
+  class Warning
+    attr_reader :message, :file, :line
+
+    def initialize(message, file: nil, line: nil)
+      @message = message
+      @file = file
+      @line = line
+    end
+
+    def to_s
+      if file && line
+        "#{file}:#{line}: #{message}"
+      elsif file
+        "#{file}: #{message}"
+      else
+        message
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  @warnings = []
+
+  class << self
+    ##
+    # Add a warning to the checker.
+    #
+    # message - The warning message
+    # file - Optional file path where the issue was found
+    # line - Optional line number where the issue was found
+
+    def add(message, file: nil, line: nil)
+      @warnings << Warning.new(message, file: file, line: line)
+    end
+
+    ##
+    # Returns all collected warnings.
+
+    def warnings
+      @warnings
+    end
+
+    ##
+    # Clear all warnings. Used between test runs.
+
+    def clear
+      @warnings = []
+    end
+
+    ##
+    # Returns true if any warnings have been collected.
+
+    def any?
+      @warnings.any?
+    end
+
+    ##
+    # Print all collected warnings to stdout.
+    # Returns early if no warnings exist.
+
+    def report
+      return if @warnings.empty?
+
+      puts
+      puts "Documentation check failures:"
+      @warnings.each do |warning|
+        puts "  #{warning}"
+      end
+      puts
+      puts "#{@warnings.size} check(s) failed"
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/rdoc/markup/to_html_crossref.rb b/lib/rdoc/markup/to_html_crossref.rb
index ad600663bf..9810e9d4e2 100644
--- a/lib/rdoc/markup/to_html_crossref.rb
+++ b/lib/rdoc/markup/to_html_crossref.rb
@@ -158,7 +158,18 @@ def link(name, text, code = true, rdoc_ref: false)
     case ref
     when String then
       if rdoc_ref && @options.warn_missing_rdoc_ref
-        puts "#{@from_path}: `rdoc-ref:#{name}` can't be resolved for `#{text}`"
+        # If we can, provide the source file where the document is written
+        # Or we fall back to the from_path, which is the html file being generated
+        source_file = if @context.respond_to?(:top_level) && @context.top_level
+                        @context.top_level.full_name
+                      else
+                        @from_path
+                      end
+        RDoc::Checker.add(
+          "`rdoc-ref:#{name}` can't be resolved for `#{text}`",
+          file: source_file,
+          line: @context&.line
+        )
       end
       ref
     else
diff --git a/lib/rdoc/rdoc.rb b/lib/rdoc/rdoc.rb
index 8beeac52f5..6b91ed21e8 100644
--- a/lib/rdoc/rdoc.rb
+++ b/lib/rdoc/rdoc.rb
@@ -491,7 +491,14 @@ def document(options)
       puts @stats.summary.accept RDoc::Markup::ToRdoc.new
     end
 
-    exit @stats.fully_documented? if @options.coverage_report
+    failed_checks = RDoc::Checker.any?
+    RDoc::Checker.report if failed_checks
+
+    if @options.coverage_report
+      exit(@stats.fully_documented? && !failed_checks)
+    else
+      exit 1 if failed_checks
+    end
   end
 
   ##
diff --git a/test/rdoc/markup/to_html_crossref_test.rb b/test/rdoc/markup/to_html_crossref_test.rb
index cf61460297..99366f5dad 100644
--- a/test/rdoc/markup/to_html_crossref_test.rb
+++ b/test/rdoc/markup/to_html_crossref_test.rb
@@ -124,13 +124,15 @@ def test_convert_RDOCLINK_rdoc_ref
   end
 
   def test_convert_RDOCLINK_rdoc_ref_not_found
-    result = nil
-    stdout, _ = capture_output do
-      result = @to.convert 'rdoc-ref:FOO'
-    end
+    RDoc::Checker.clear
+
+    result = @to.convert 'rdoc-ref:FOO'
 
     assert_equal para("FOO"), result
-    assert_include stdout, "index.html: `rdoc-ref:FOO` can't be resolved for `FOO`"
+    assert RDoc::Checker.any?
+    warning = RDoc::Checker.warnings.first
+    assert_equal "xref_data.rb", warning.file
+    assert_match(/rdoc-ref:FOO/, warning.message)
   end
 
   def test_convert_RDOCLINK_rdoc_ref_method
@@ -217,11 +219,14 @@ def test_gen_url
   end
 
   def test_gen_url_rdoc_ref_not_found
-    stdout, _ = capture_output do
-      @to.gen_url 'rdoc-ref:FOO', 'FOO'
-    end
+    RDoc::Checker.clear
+
+    @to.gen_url 'rdoc-ref:FOO', 'FOO'
 
-    assert_include stdout, "index.html: `rdoc-ref:FOO` can't be resolved for `FOO`"
+    assert RDoc::Checker.any?
+    warning = RDoc::Checker.warnings.first
+    assert_equal "xref_data.rb", warning.file
+    assert_match(/rdoc-ref:FOO/, warning.message)
   end
 
   def test_handle_regexp_CROSSREF
diff --git a/test/rdoc/rdoc_checker_integration_test.rb b/test/rdoc/rdoc_checker_integration_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..417dab7524
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/rdoc/rdoc_checker_integration_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require_relative 'helper'
+
+class RDocCheckerIntegrationTest < RDoc::TestCase
+  def test_document_reports_checker_warnings
+    RDoc::Checker.add("test warning", file: "test.rb")
+
+    out, _err = capture_output do
+      temp_dir do
+        File.write("test.rb", "# comment\nclass Foo; end")
+
+        assert_raise(SystemExit) do
+          @rdoc.document(["test.rb"])
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    assert_match(/Documentation check failures:/, out)
+    assert_match(/test warning/, out)
+  end
+
+  def test_document_exits_with_status_1_when_warnings
+    RDoc::Checker.add("test warning")
+
+    temp_dir do
+      File.write("test.rb", "# comment\nclass Foo; end")
+
+      error = assert_raise(SystemExit) do
+        capture_output do
+          @rdoc.document(["test.rb"])
+        end
+      end
+
+      assert_equal 1, error.status
+    end
+  end
+
+  def test_document_does_not_exit_when_no_warnings
+    temp_dir do
+      File.write("test.rb", "# comment\nclass Foo; end")
+
+      # Should not raise SystemExit
+      capture_output do
+        @rdoc.document(["test.rb"])
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  def test_document_coverage_report_with_warnings_exits_failure
+    @options.coverage_report = true
+    RDoc::Checker.add("test warning")
+
+    temp_dir do
+      File.write("test.rb", "# Documented class\nclass Foo; end")
+
+      error = assert_raise(SystemExit) do
+        capture_output do
+          @rdoc.document(["test.rb"])
+        end
+      end
+
+      # Even if fully documented, warnings should cause failure
+      assert_equal false, error.success?
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/rdoc/rdoc_checker_test.rb b/test/rdoc/rdoc_checker_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..07cd144baf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/rdoc/rdoc_checker_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require_relative 'helper'
+
+class RDocCheckerTest < RDoc::TestCase
+  def setup
+    super
+    RDoc::Checker.clear
+  end
+
+  def test_warning_to_s_with_file_and_line
+    warning = RDoc::Checker::Warning.new("test message", file: "foo.rb", line: 42)
+    assert_equal "foo.rb:42: test message", warning.to_s
+  end
+
+  def test_warning_to_s_with_file_only
+    warning = RDoc::Checker::Warning.new("test message", file: "foo.rb")
+    assert_equal "foo.rb: test message", warning.to_s
+  end
+
+  def test_warning_to_s_with_message_only
+    warning = RDoc::Checker::Warning.new("test message")
+    assert_equal "test message", warning.to_s
+  end
+
+  def test_add_collects_warnings
+    RDoc::Checker.add("warning 1")
+    RDoc::Checker.add("warning 2", file: "bar.rb")
+
+    assert_equal 2, RDoc::Checker.warnings.size
+    assert_equal "warning 1", RDoc::Checker.warnings[0].message
+    assert_equal "bar.rb", RDoc::Checker.warnings[1].file
+  end
+
+  def test_any_returns_false_when_empty
+    refute RDoc::Checker.any?
+  end
+
+  def test_any_returns_true_when_warnings_exist
+    RDoc::Checker.add("a warning")
+    assert RDoc::Checker.any?
+  end
+
+  def test_clear_removes_all_warnings
+    RDoc::Checker.add("warning")
+    assert RDoc::Checker.any?
+
+    RDoc::Checker.clear
+    refute RDoc::Checker.any?
+  end
+
+  def test_report_outputs_nothing_when_empty
+    out, _err = capture_output do
+      RDoc::Checker.report
+    end
+
+    assert_empty out
+  end
+
+  def test_report_outputs_warnings_grouped
+    RDoc::Checker.add("first warning", file: "a.rb", line: 1)
+    RDoc::Checker.add("second warning", file: "b.rb")
+
+    out, _err = capture_output do
+      RDoc::Checker.report
+    end
+
+    assert_match(/Documentation check failures:/, out)
+    assert_match(/a\.rb:1: first warning/, out)
+    assert_match(/b\.rb: second warning/, out)
+    assert_match(/2 check\(s\) failed/, out)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/rdoc/support/test_case.rb b/test/rdoc/support/test_case.rb
index cb1a3bddd9..8f1f042ccd 100644
--- a/test/rdoc/support/test_case.rb
+++ b/test/rdoc/support/test_case.rb
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ def setup
     @rdoc.generator = Object.new
 
     RDoc::Markup::PreProcess.reset
+    RDoc::Checker.clear
   end
 
   ##